Packers should bring in Steve Slaton

I know I’ve been calling for this now for years (actually I wanted the Pack to move up in the draft to draft the guy). But Steve Slaton has now been released from the Texans, I believe because Gary Kubiak simply hates him. (He’s been in the doghouse for a couple years.)

Anyway, all indications were that after his neck injury a few years ago, he was back to the same athletically gifted Steve Slaton he’d been before the injury. And remember how dominant he was that rookie year? I could be totally wrong about Slaton, maybe he sucks now. But it seems there is very little harm in bringing in such a versatile athlete like this for a tryout at the very least. I know we’re loaded on offense at the moment and working him in may not happen right away (and that we may need roster spots for more O-Line and D-Line depth) – but Slaton can play RB, WR, 3rd down back and return punts/kicks. He is a special player who sees the field differently than not-so-special players. (Don’t remember how good he is – watch here. The second highlight run is ridiculous.) Give him a try TT. And if he sucks at the tryout – I’ll shut up about Steve Slaton going forward.

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11 Responses to “Packers should bring in Steve Slaton”

Slaton would only come in as a change of pace/catch passes out of the backfield back. He has not been that for 2 years nows. After his break out rookie season he has been a complete bust. I know because I had him his rookie year, and kept into 2nd year (his injury year) in fantasy football. Now going into his 4th year he probably isn’t the back we need, because we drafted Alex Green to be that back but with more size compared to Slaton. I don’t think Slaton can be that guy. We have a solid 2 back system and Green will hopefully be that slash back or other option we want/need.

What is up with Green? Hasn’t been active yet. Injury? Or, are they just keeping three rb’s active on game day? (Grant, Starks, Kuhn). Hard to see how Slaton fits on the game day roster with our current backfield?

* We really don’t need any more receivers. Jennings, Nelson, and Finley are already on pace to have at or near 1,000 yard season. And Cobb, Jones and Driver (or one of the non-Finley TEs) to take up the slack as needed.

* We really don’t need any more running backs. We’ve already got Starks, Grant, and Kuhn competing for touches, with Green waiting in the wings.

* Slaton has really only had the one good season. It’s hard to believe, if he does have some quality football left, he’s been denied just because Kubiak is a cranky old man (even if his coccyx is bothering him).

* We really do need to use roster spots to address injuries. Nick Collins, as you mentioned, and Bulaga, if his injury turns out to be more serious or lingering than has been so far reported.

* Don’t forget this is a team that made a lot of that Super Bowl run with Brandon Jackson as the primary RB. Granted, that wasn’t pretty. But I think the RB roster we have now just isn’t the best place to look for upgrades.

Apparently Tony Moll was in for a tryout. Could definitely see someone come in on the O line this week.

On a side note, before the season started I had hoped at some point during the season TT finds a way to lock up Finley or Nelson. These two are very valuable, and losing them would be a blow. I think with Jennings, Nelson and Finley, you will almost always have a mismatch to exploit.

Finley has everything from size, to quickness, to hands, to extremely athletic. You don’t see Tight ends like this come around too often. Keeping him would be valuable, despite the cost it would be. Hopefully TT starts working on it and we can get something reasonable done during the season.

The same for Nelson. He has really fit into the #2 wideout, and has done a great job. I like how he runs his routes, and he makes plays after the catch.

I really think TT is going to make sure he can keep them both. It’s just going to be too hard to let them walk. And I think both do enjoy it here which should help get a deal done.

And we do have the cap to do it, considering we should have over 10 million to use this year.